Huge Gatsby Vocab Set

Supercilious

full of contempt and arrogance

Conscientious

thorough and diligent in performing a task

Incredulous

disbelief or an unwillingness to believe something

Reciprocal

something that is mutual or done in return

Wan

unhealthily pale, especially from illness or grief

Complacent

self-satisfied, usually in an unreflective way

Intimation

a subtle hint or sign of something

Contiguous

connected together in time or space

Interpose

to place one's self or something else, including an idea, between two people or things

Apathetic

not taking any interest in anything, or not bothering to do anything

Languid

lacking vigor and energy

Strident

loudly, strongly, or urgently expressed

Deft

moving or acting in a quick, smooth, and skillful way

Innuendo

an indirect remark or gesture that usually carries a suggestion of inappropriateness

Erroneous

an incorrect assumption, or containing something that is incorrect

Vehement

showing conviction or intense feeling

Impetuous

acting on the spur of the moment, without considering the consequences

Vacuous

having no content; lacking ideas or intellect

Corpulent

large and bulky body

Provincial

unsophisticated and unwilling to accept new ideas or ways of thinking

Din

a loud persistent noise, especially one composed of confused sounds

Denizen

somebody who lives in a particular country or area

Innumerable

too many to be counted

Ecstatic

showing or feeling great pleasure or delight

Obstinate

stubborn and unwilling to change

Exultation

a feeling or the expression of great happiness, triumph, or joy

Nebulous

not clear, distinct, or definite

Laudable

admirable and worthy of praise

Insidious

slowly and subtly harmful or destructive

Unutterable

impossible to express or describe because of emotional intensity

Ephemeral

lasting for only a short period of time

Insistent

persistent in maintaining or demanding something

Tentative

said or done in a slow and careful way, suggesting a lack of confidence

Abrupt

sudden and unexpected

Tumult

a violent or noisy commotion

Pompous

having an excessive sense of self-importance

Ingratiate

to try to enter somebody’s favor, especially in order to gain an advantage

Fortuitously

occurring by chance; fortunate, lucky

Turgid

swollen, excessively embellished in style or language, bombastic, pompous

Meretricious

tawdrily and falsely attractive, pretentious, gaudy

Alacrity

Brisk and cheerful readiness; eagerness.

Anachronism

Something that is out of place in terms of time or chronology.

Anomaly

Something that deviates from the norm or expectations; an irregularity.

Conundrum

A confusing or difficult problem or question; a riddle.

Coalesce

To come together and form one mass or whole; to unite.

Deference

Humble submission and respect toward another’s opinion or wishes.

Discourse

Written or spoken communication or debate; a formal discussion of a topic.

Expedient

Convenient and practical, although possibly improper or immoral; suitable for achieving a particular end.

Incontrovertible

Not able to be denied or disputed; unquestionable.

Ostentatious

Characterized by vulgar or pretentious display; designed to impress or attract notice.

Pedantic

Overly concerned with minute details or formalisms, often in teaching; overly academic or scholarly.

Pragmatic

Dealing with things sensibly and realistically in a way that is based on practical rather than theoretical considerations.

Sycophant

A person who acts obsequiously toward someone important to gain advantage; a flatterer.

Pernicious

deadly, destructive

Mollify

to calm or soothe

Surreptitious

done by secretive means

Fastidious

possessing careful attention to detail; difficult to please

Vacillate

to waver between different opinions or actions

Corroborate

to confirm or give support to a statement

Dissemble

to conceal one's true motives or feelings

Perspicuity

clarity of expression or thought

Laconic

using few words; concise

Equivocal

open to more than one interpretation; ambiguous

Obfuscate

to confuse or bewilder

Ennui

a feeling of listlessness and boredom

Exacerbate

to make a problem or situation worse

Fastidiousness

meticulous attention to detail

Heterogeneous

composed of different kinds of things.